Messages Left Behind

Messages Left Behind

Lupenga Mphande’s poetry is a poetry of love. Love for his country, Malawi, and its people, whose soul and beauty have survived a long and bloody dictatorship. Love for family and his friends who have shaped him and helped him to endure the pain of exile. It is the same and unique love, in fact, a strong and healthy love of life in all its forms, deeply rooted in his native land, that continues to grow on American soil.

—Jacques-Noël Gouat, Ph. D., Bourg St. Christophe, France

…the most notable feature of Lupenga Mphande’s work is his deep appreciation of the natural environment…The resilience of nature convinces Lupenga that life is a cycle that is never completely broken down however adverse the experiences in life. Nature heals, consoles and anchors the soul. Lupenga is a brilliant and passionate nature poet.

—Reuben Chirambo, late Professor of English, University of Cape Town, South Africa

With Crackle at Midnight, Mphande has enriched not only the national poetry of Malawi, but also African and contemporary world poetry.